


Bert Part II

by suecsit



Category: Cobra Kai, The Karate Kid
Genre: M/M, Post-Finale, Sequel, lawrusso
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-05-10 03:40:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14729265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suecsit/pseuds/suecsit
Summary: Sequel to the earlier piece “Bert.” This will make no sense unless you read that first. I didn't plan for another chapter, but I had insomnia, and so, here we are.





	Bert Part II

Johnny reached for his cell phone, and Daniel scoffed. “Way to kill the mood.”

They had just shared a first kiss, but that wasn’t Johnny’s focus at the time. He wanted something else.

“Here, Larusso, I’m gonna call a few people and tell them you just said my students were lucky to have me. Now if you don’t mind—“ Johnny made like he was going to walk off for privacy, and Daniel just shook his head and stubbornly refused to follow. “That’s not exactly what I meant,” he called out to the retreating man.

“Oh, I’m pretty sure it is.” Johnny turned around and waved his flip phone threateningly. 

“I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. Get over yourself.” Johnny walked back toward him, the phone still open in his hand like a toy.

“How old is that thing anyway? Let me see.” Daniel casually reached for the phone to inspect it and Johnny quickly moved it away from his grasp. 

“You think I’m that stupid? You’re not touching my phone.”

“Jesus, Johnny, sometimes it’s like talking to a five year old. I just meant that it’s a pretty old model. I didn’t even know they sold flip phones anymore.”

“Maybe I like my old stuff best….” 

Daniel suddenly felt his face grow warmer. “I think I’m getting that.”

“Oh? How come?” Johnny couldn’t help but tease. The vulnerable kid he held in his arms a moment ago was still there. He was just hiding. 

“Shut up.” Well, maybe hiding wasn’t exactly the right word.

“Jesus, Larusso, sometimes it’s like talking to a five year old,” Johnny parroted, reaching out to put his arm around Daniel’s shoulder and walk him toward his car.  
He was once again shocked that as soon as he reached out Daniel seemed to relax, even lean against him as they moved. Maybe the guy had too many people leaning on him to ever let his guard down completely. 

When they reached the car, Daniel looked around uneasily. “You do know this is where Kreese almost killed you 30 years ago.”

“Sure do.”

“Ha. You say it like it’s no big deal. It was scary.”

Johnny leaned against Daniel’s SUV, blocking the driver’s side. “Were you worried about me then?”

“No.”

“Liar.”

“Fine. I was. A little. You were the one who handed me my trophy. Don’t think I didn’t notice.” Instead of feeling at all intimidated by Johnny blocking him from opening the car door, Daniel leaned against the vehicle beside him, as if he didn’t care to leave anytime soon. Johnny could have sworn that Daniel put his head on his shoulder for just a brief moment. 

“You remembered that.”

“I remembered.” Daniel looked up at the night sky. “So I guess that’s why you keep Bert around. Underdog and all that. Unpredictable short guy with no muscles?”

Johnny didn’t answer. Instead he turned to face Daniel again. His arm went out to touch Daniel’s, as if to check for biceps. “Take off your jacket. Let me check.”

“No.”

“Do it.”

Daniel sighed and humored him. He took off the suede coat and laid it on top of the SUV. His sleeves were still unbuttoned from the match. He rolled them up and flexed. 

“I see that nothing’s changed.” 

Daniel’s arm went up and out, as if to knock Johnny off balance in retaliation. It looked like the exact same move Robby used to block Miguel. 

Johnny countered the block easily, only when he did so, he caught Daniel’s hand and held it rather than knocking it away. “You’re not the only one who practices blocking by waxing his car.”

“He told you about that?”

“Who?”

“Robby. He told you about—“

“Shit, Larusso, no. I don’t know what Kool-aid my kid is drinking when he’s around you. Keep that to yourself. Obviously he never told me a thing or I wouldn’t have come after you like I did.” 

Daniel remained silent at first, but Johnny could feel Daniel’s hand in his, and he felt it squeeze his own gently.

“I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t know.”

“I’m still sorry.”

Johnny lifted Daniel’s hand up as if to gnaw at it, to pray to it, to bend it until the bones broke, he didn’t know. He settled on pressing his lips on a knuckle and smiled around it when he heard Daniel’s sharp intake of breath. “I already told you I know what he sees in you.” He turned the hand over in both of his own, as if to read its fortune. He gently traced the lines of the palm, a touch ghosting over nerve endings.

“Johnny….” Daniel’s eyes fell shut again, and he seemed to slip away.

“Stay with me,” Johnny chided him. “No meditation crap.” 

Daniel smiled. He kept his eyes shut and breathed deeply, like he was savoring the feel of Johnny’s hand caressing his own and shutting out everything else. Johnny was stunned that he could have that effect on him. “It’s not meditation crap. It’s….”

“Shhh, stop talking. No Kool-aid please.”

Fingers threaded together. Darker skin overlapping pale, chafed hands from when Johnny still worked in home repair. Half of the lights in the parking lot dimmed and then went out. 

Eventually Daniel’s eyes fluttered opened. Johnny saw him reluctantly glance at his watch. Almost midnight.

“I don’t want to go, but I—“ 

Johnny let go of his hand and stepped back from the car. Once Daniel was seated, he shut the door, but the window came down as the ignition started. Daniel looked out and up at him, as if he wanted to ask him something.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Johnny couldn't help but grin at how well he had distracted his enemy. Too bad they couldn't take it to the mat, at least for one round. Daniel would be on his back in two seconds.

“What?”

He reached up and retrieved Daniel’s jacket from the roof of the vehicle. Handing it over, he then leaned in, arms resting on the door, level with Daniel’s eyes. “You better not bury your head in the sand about this,” he warned. “I know where you live.”

“If I’m not there you know where to find me. The dealership or—“

“Or?” 

Daniel hesitated, and Johnny sensed that vulnerability, that nervousness coming back. “I’m thinking about fixing up Mr. Miyagi’s place.”

“Why? Don’t you have enough property?”

“For my family, yes, but for training—“

“You’re going to go make yourself a man cave in the middle of nowhere?”

“It’s not exactly in the middle of nowhere—“

“Oh shit. No way. No fucking way.”

“Johnny, just listen to me for a second…”

“I draw the line at you actually starting a cult with my kid at that creepy old man’s house. You can’t leave well enough alone, can you?” 

Johnny started to turn away, but Daniel put his hand on his arm, holding him in place. “Listen,” he implored, his eyes kind and patient. Johnny tried to pull away. “Johnny, look at me.” 

He relented and regarded Daniel warily. There was an uncomfortable silence. 

“I won’t let anything happen to Robby, just like you won’t let anything happen to Bert.”

“Bert takes lessons at a small dojo in Reseda. Anyone can drop by. Even you. You train people in a hidden place I imagine looks like the back lot of a Chinese restaurant. There’s probably dead bodies buried there somewhere.”

Daniel managed a small smile. “Nothing’s happened. It’s just a thought. I was jealous today. I want what you have.”

Stunned silence. 

After some minutes passed, Johnny put his hand on top of Daniel’s arm and leaned in to kiss his temple. “That’s probably the nicest thing anyone’s said to me in years.” Daniel’s face lit up, and it physically hurt to look directly at it.

“So you’re not mad….”

“Oh I’m mad as hell.”

“Johnny—“

“Is this place located on a steep hill? Tell me it’s on a steep hill.”

“Screw you.” 

“You know where to find me.” Johnny’s eyes met the brown ones in challenge. Daniel registered shock for a moment, his eyes wide. 

“I—“

“Goodnight, Danielle.” The car started and Johnny stepped back, hands in his pockets and a smile on his face. “Drive safely.”

“Drive safely? That’s funny coming from you.” Daniel rolled up the window.  
Johnny saw him wink before the car pulled out of the lot. He watched Daniel drive off until the lights of the SUV faded. 

The All Valley campus was completely empty. The mats were up, the scoreboards were unplugged, and the doors were locked. 

And that was ok with Johnny. For now.

**Author's Note:**

> My URL is kairosandbalance on Tumblr. Please visit. I love to talk about Cobra Kai.


End file.
